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“I’ve always thought of myself a do-it-yourself person in a non-do-it-yourself world.”

Influences

“I knew as a teen that I wanted to be an engineer. My father was a machinist, and I’ve always thought of myself a do-it-yourself person in a non-do-it-yourself world. I was always good at math and science, so that was the starting point. But I also like real-world, practical applications.”

Dunham's Culture

“Dunham is unique when it comes to quality and client service. We’re also pragmatic in how we serve clients—always focused on meeting the needs of the project at the appropriate point. We’re adaptable and collaborative. One size does not fit all, so even when you have 20-30 years of experience in the field, you end up with unique situations on projects where it’s good to get input from other people with entirely different experiences. And if someone points out a better way to do something, you take a little wounded pride to get a better outcome.”

Relationships

“We do a lot of collaboration both internally and with clients, owners, architects and other trades. It’s not like the old days when somebody hand-drafted for three days without talking to anybody. Now, you need to go to meetings, represent the company and advocate for what’s needed to make the project successful. And you have to have a willingness to learn, because learning never ends. Quite frankly, once you get out of college, that’s when the learning starts.”

Challenges

“I’m a big golfer, and in a way, golf and engineering are alike. There’s a formula to golf as to what you’re supposed to do, but the real world doesn’t live by formula. Like any sport, you need to learn all the fundamentals, but there are factors you can’t control. That’s the same thing that makes engineering interesting. Yeah, you’ve got a formula and a way you’re supposed to do things, but every project throws a curve ball at you, has unique challenges you have to work though. And they’re never the same from one job to the next. I don’t care if you have a hundred years of experience, you’re going to be solving a new problem every day. So you better know how to do that.”

Randy Olson, PE, LEED AP BD+C

Partner, Mechanical Engineer

Randy is a mechanical engineer and sustainable engineering design strategist whose expertise includes HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems for a wide variety of facility types. He was named the 2017 Plumbing Engineer of the Year by PME magazine.